The beatitudes: or A discourse upon part of Christs famous Sermon on the Mount.: Wherunto is added Christs various fulnesse. The preciousnesse of the soul. The souls malady and cure. The beauty of grace. The spiritual watch. The heavenly race. The sacred anchor. The trees of righteousnesse. The perfume of love. The good practitioner. By Thomas Watson, minister of the word at Stephens Walbrook in the city of London.

SECT. 7.

Containing a sharp reproof.

[Use 2] 1. IT reproves such as would be thought good Christi∣ans, [Reproof.] [Branch 1] but will not suffer persecution for Christs sake; their care is not to take up the Cross, but to avoid the

Cross: Matth. 13.21. When persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended. There are many professors who speak Christ fair, but will suffer nothing for him; these may be compared to the chrystal which looks like pearle, till it comes to the hammering, then it breaks; many when they see the Palme-branches and gar∣ments spread, cry Hosanna to Christ; but if the Swords and Staves appear, then they flink away; as King Henry the fourth, then of Navar, told Beza, who urging him to engage himself in the Protestant Religion, said, he would not launch out too far into the deep, but that if a storm should arise, he might retreat back to shore: 'Tis to be feared there are some among us, who if persecutions should come, would rather make Demas his choice, than Moses his choice; and would study rather to keep their skin whole, than their conscience pure. Erasmus highly extolled Luthers Doctrine; but when the Emperour threatned all that should favour Luthers cause, he unwor∣thily deserted it. Hypocrites will sooner renounce their Baptisme, than take up the Cross; if ever we would shew our selves Christians to purpose, we must with Peter, throw our selves upon the water to come to Christ. He that refuseth to suffer, let him read over that sad Scripture, Matth. 10.33. Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

2. It reproves them who are the opposers and perse∣cutors [Branch 2] of the Saints; how great is their sin? they resist the Holy Ghost. Acts 7.51, 52. Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost; which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted? Persecutors offer affront to Christ in heaven, they tread his jewels in the dust, touch the apple of his eye, pierce his sides. Acts 9.4, 5. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? When the foot was trodden on, the head cried out; as the sin is great, so the punishment

shall be proportionable. Rev. 16.6. They have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy. Will not Christ a∣venge those who dye in his quarrel? what is the end of persecutors? Dioclesian proclaimed that the Christian Churches and Temples should be razed down, their Bibles burned; he would not permit any man that was a Christian to hold an office; some of the Christians he cast alive in∣to boyling lead, others had their hands and lips cut off, only they had their eyes left, that they might behold the tragedy of their own miseries, what was the end of this man? he ran mad, and poysoned himself. Felix Cap∣tain to Emperour Charles the fifth, being at Supper at Auspurg, vowed he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of the Lutherans; a flux of blood came up that night in∣to his throat, wherewith he was choaked; it were easie to tell how Gods hand hath so visibly gone out against Persecutors, that they might read their sin in their punish∣ment.